Dispensing container



May 8, 1934.

c. H. DUELL DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed March 14, 1952 Patented May 8, 1934" UNITED {STATES DISPENSING comma Charles H. Ducll, New York, N. Y., assignor to International Cosmetic Company, Inc., New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 14, 1932, Serial No. 598,667 12 Claims. (01. -42) This invention relates tov a dispensing container, and more specifically to a portable box for successively dispensing a predetermined number of articles.

5 In general, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described, which is simple and economical of construction, which can be expeditiously and conveniently manipulated, and which is readily manufactured and assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container which permits articles to be successively exposed so that a predetermined number appears at any one time and which perw mits only those exposed to be open to contamination. Another object is to provide a shallow portable container which may be opened by sliding a cover member whereby only certain ones of the contents are exposed but which, without further relative motion of the parts, allows the remainder of the contents to be exposed thereafter.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features .of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding or the nature and objects or" the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. i is a perspective view of a device embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken along the lines 2-2;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification of r the device shown in Fig. l; and.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modification of the device shown in Fig. 3. It is often desired to obtain articles from a container one after another or one pair after another, etc;, and at the same time it is not convenient or best to have all of the articles in the container exposed at once. It may not be immediate-' 1y brown how many are to be used. The present invention provides a container which will con- 'tinue to expose groups of one or more articles as fast as they are removed, but which'does not expose the remainder to contamination or to the dangers of spillage. Those not yet exposed cannot be soiled or upset by the hand of one securing those which are to be removed. The device is particularlyadapted to be used with relatively small boxes which can be held in one hand. A

sliding cover operated by the thumb and fingers opens the container the required amount in a single, simple, smooth action.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing the relatively shallow container 10 has a cover 11 which is slidable thereon for a predetermined distance. Associated with the con- 5 tainer or the cover are suitable barrier means for limiting the number of articles exposed. For example, there may be a depending flange 12 extending part way across one end of the cover and projecting into the chamber formed by the con tainer. Any convenient means such as the detents 13 prevent the cover from being slid open more than a given distance. The flange pushes all articles in its path into the closed part of the container as the cover is opened and prevents ar ticles from passing underneath it. Articles may, however, by a tilt of the container, pass by the end of the flange or guide into the uncovered'portion. There they may block further articles from coming out. They may be readily picked out as sothe uncovered part acts as a temporary receptacle into which the fingers oi the free hand may be inserted for securing a firm grip. As many articles. as desired may be allowed to pass sirnultaneo'urilyv or successively into this temporary receptacle. at

The means for limiting the number or articles exposed may take the form of barrier means within the container (see Fig. 3)1 With such an arrangement, the flange on the cover may he omitted. The barrier means 14 may be constructed in to any convenient manner, such as by striking up the bottom or striking in the walls of the contiainer or by inserting an additional element.

' These means are shaped so that as the cover is withdrawn a given distance a certain number only 9a; of the articles within the container are exposed. The action is similar to that o! the device previously described. As the exposed articles areremoved successive tilts of the container successively guide one or more articles into the open end. There is no necessity oi'closing the cover in the meantime. The barrier means 14 may be shaped to guide the articles in a-variety or ways. The articles may appear at one corner ior right-handed users, or at another for left-handed users, or at; both, or at either end, ,etc., etc.

In certain instancesthe barrier means may be associated cooperatively with various elements of the device as disclosed in the copending applica 'tion of Charles H. Duell, Douglas 0. Clarke and.

Edith E. Brisbane, Serial No. 593,218, filed February 16, 1932. Thus in Fig. 4 the barrier means 14 are shown as extending from the front wall, away from which the cover is withdrawn a suitable distance. It may be formed by striking up the material which forms the bottom of the box.

The present invention supplies a means for the controlled dispensing of articles of all shapes and sizes. Granular or pulverulent material may be ised in devices of the kind described. The shallow container may be held in the hand. A slight motion of the fingers slides the cover open and perand specific features of the inventionherein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, containing means, a sliding cover for said means, and barrier means within said containing means and extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and adapted, when said cover is in open position, to guide, restrain, and permit proper dispensing of the contents of said containing means.

2. A container having a sliding cover, means to restrict the motion of said cover, and 8. dependin flange on the cover projecting into the container and extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof, said flange being adapted to guide, restrain and permit proper dispensing of the contents of the container.

3. A container having a sliding cover, and barrier means within said container extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and adapted to guide, restrain and permit proper dispensing of the contents of the container, said cover being slidable with respect to said barrier means.

4. A shallow container provided with a sliding cover, and barriermeans depending from said cover and movable therewith and extending across a part only of the transverse dimension of said container, said barrier means being adapted to guide, restrain and permit proper dispensing of the contents of said container.

5. A shallow container provided with a sliding cover, and barrier means immovably positioned within said container and extending across a part onlyof the transverse dimension of said container, said barrier means being adapted to guide, restrain and permit proper dispensing of the contents of said container.

6. In a shallow container, in combination, a

cover for said container, means to restrict the motion of said cover whereby when said cover is in openposition a portion only of said container is uncovered, and barrier means within said container extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and so positioned with n said container as to prevent all save a predetermined quantity of the contents of said container from entering that portion thereof which is uncovered when the cover is in open position.

'7. In a shallow container, in combination, a cover for said container, means to restrict the motion of said cover whereby when said cover is in open position a portion only of said container is uncovered, and barrier means within said container and comprising a flange depending from said cover extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and so positioned within said container as to prevent all save a predetermined quantity of the contents of said container from entering that portion thereof which is uncovered when the cover is in open position.

8. In a shallow container, in combination, a cover for said container, means to restrict the motion of said cover whereby when said cover is in open position a portion only of said container is uncovered, and barrier means immovably positioned within said container extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and so positioned within said container as to prevent all save a predetermined quantity of the contents 1 of said container from entering that portion thereof which is uncovered when the cover is in open position.

9. In a container, in combination, barrier means within said container extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and adapted to divide said container into a plurality of connecting portions, and a slidable cover for said container adapted, when in open position, to uncover one of said portions while covering another of said portions, said barrier means acting to guide a predetermined quantity of the contents of said container into an uncovered portion thereof and to prevent the remainder of the contents of said container. from entering said portion, whereby the said contents may be properly dispensed.

10. In a container, barrier means positioned to divide said container into a plurality of connecting portions, a slidable cover for said container adapted, when in open position, to uncover at least one of said portions and to keep at least one of said portions covered, said barrier means extending across part of the transverse dimension of said container, and being adapted to guide,

restrain and permit proper dispensing of the contents thereof.

11. A pill-box having a sliding cover, barrier means within said box extending across part of the transverse dimension thereof and adapted to divide the box into a plurality of connecting portions, one portion being of such size as to hold only a predetermined number of pills and being so positioned as to be uncovered when said cover is in open position, said barrier means being adapted to prevent all save the said predetermined CHARLES H. DUELL. 

